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New gene therapy technique may help treat Alzheimer's disease

Investigators at Rush University Medical Center have successfully initiated a new technique that uses gene therapy to deliver nerve growth factor into regions of the brain where neurons are degenerating, in order to prevent cell death and reverse cell atrophy, two hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

21 Sep 2004

Broken bones often mean lifelong disability in the developing world

Broken bones often mean lifelong disability in the developing world, due to a lack of access to simple, inexpensive initial treatment, says the director of the University of Toronto's international surgery program.

21 Sep 2004

Intravenous access for ear tube placement surgery has no added benefit

Children who had intravenous (IV) access for ear tube placement surgery spent more time in the operating room and in the hospital and required more pain medication than children who underwent the same procedure without IV access

21 Sep 2004

Obesity makes surgery more difficult and risky

Critically injured obese trauma patients have higher rates of death than nonobese trauma patients, according to an article in the September issue of The Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

21 Sep 2004

Cosmetic surgery less risky and less painful than plastic surgery

Cosmetic surgery is perceived as less risky with a shorter recovery time and less pain than plastic or reconstructive surgery, according to an article in the September issue of The Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

21 Sep 2004

Breast reconstruction at the time of mastectomy does not delay post-operative chemotherapy for women with breast cancer

“The findings weren’t a surprise to us, but we wanted to document the safety of immediate breast reconstruction so that surgeons in other settings can have the same confidence in the approach,” Bold said.

20 Sep 2004

Today’s scientists have the skills and experience to transplant a human face

A University of Louisville-led research team studying the face transplant has developed guidelines it says are critical to the success of the still-untried procedure.

20 Sep 2004

BBC focuses on the rise of complementary or alternative medicines

Broadcaster Anna Ford investigates why people are turning to CAM in a new six part BBC Radio Four series, The Other Medicine. Is there any evidence that CAM works, is it harmful and should the CAM industry, worth £1.6 billion a year, be made more available on the NHS?

20 Sep 2004

A misconception that eating wasabi decongests the nose

Wasabi, (Wasabia japonica) is commonly known as the Japanese horseradish used to enhance the enjoyment of sushi.

18 Sep 2004

Oral appliances effective in treating obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a disorder characterized by repeated episodes of reductions or cessation in breathing during sleep. Millions of Americans, both men and women, have this medical problem

18 Sep 2004

Botox injections may ease the irritation of tinnitus

A preliminary study indicates that Botox injections may ease the irritation of tinnitus, otherwise know as ringing in the ears, for some patients. Researchers say more study is needed, but initial results are promising.

18 Sep 2004

Further study is needed before link between gastroesophageal reflux disorder and otitis media can be firmly established

Does gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) lead to middle ear infections in young children? Otitis media (OM) or ear infection, has the highest incidence, 62.9 percent, among all medical conditions in children younger than age five. Recent studies have suggested that GERD may cause OM.

18 Sep 2004

Patients with asthma have a higher incidence of nasal polyposis, nasal congestion, and olfactory disturbances

Some 37 million Americans suffer from sinusitis; some of those patients are unfortunate enough to also have asthma, an inflammatory disease of the lungs characterized by reversible airway obstruction.

18 Sep 2004

Cochlear implantation leads to a higher quality of life in elderly patients

According to health care experts, cochlear implantation in senior citizens seems to be not cost effective, due to a belief that elderly patients perform poorly in the postoperative audiological rehabilitation process due to degenerative processes in the central and peripheral auditory system.

18 Sep 2004

Adenotonsillectomy resolves child sleep disorders

Within the last ten years, the primary reason that children have had surgery to remove their tonsils and adenoids is not infection but obstructive sleep apnea.

18 Sep 2004

Study hints at antioxidants being able to prevent and restore hearing loss

In a preliminary study, researchers find that vitamin E may be effective in restoring sudden onset hearing loss of unknown origin (idiopathic sudden hearing loss). These findings suggest that further research may reveal the role of antioxidants in the prevention and restoration of hearing loss.

18 Sep 2004

Reading performance is not affected once otitis media has been cured

One year ago, study results were presented addressing the reading performance in children with otitis media in early childhood. The findings revealed that middle ear diseases during early years and the attendant hearing losses adversely affect reading performance in first and second graders.

18 Sep 2004